Brits travelling to Mexico this summer have been issued a warning as more than 100 people in the country have died due to a mosquito-borne disease. It is thought more than 170,000 people there have also been infected with dengue fever this year alone, prompting concerns.
Dengue fever, which is also known as breakbone fever, can be mild but in some cases can lead to extreme symptoms and even death.
According to Travel Health Pro Since, the beginning of 2024 and up to 11 August, a total of 179,349 cases (33,957 confirmed) and 101 deaths have been reported in Mexico
This outbreak has been identified as primarily the DENV-3 strain – however, cases of the more dangerous DENV-2 have also been recorded.
The warning comes as cases of dengue fever have reached record high levels in the US.
Dengue is typically only found in tropical climates but experts warned it has the potential to spread to other areas of the world as our climate changes.
The fever is initially thought to have been brought back to the US by travellers visiting other countries.
However, Travel Health Pro has advised that 18 cases of “locally acquired” dengue were reported in Florida as of August 3.
Overall, the US has seen nearly 2,700 cases so far this year, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Authorities in France also recently issued a warning after a locally caught case of dengue was found in Nice.
The World Health Organisation has also noted that the incidence of dengue has grown “dramatically” around the world in recent decades.
The WHO says: “The disease is now endemic in more than 100 countries in the WHO Regions of Africa, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia and the Western Pacific. The Americas, South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions are the most seriously affected, with Asia representing around 70 percent of the global disease burden.
“Dengue is spreading to new areas in Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean and South America.
“The largest number of dengue cases reported was in 2023. The WHO Region of the Americas reported 4.5 million cases, with 2,300 deaths. A high number of cases were reported in Asia: Bangladesh (321,000), Malaysia (111,400), Thailand (150,000), and Vietnam (369,000).”
Symptoms of dengue fever
Dengue fever is a viral illness that spreads from infected Aedes mosquitoes to people.
In extreme cases it can be dangerous and even fatal, however, many infected people will not display any symptoms.
For those who do, the WHO says the most common symptoms are high fever, headache, body aches, nausea, and rash.
Other signs include:
- Pain behind the eyes
- Muscle and joint pains
- Vomiting
- Swollen glands
Most people will get better in one to two weeks but some people develop severe dengue and need care in a hospital. In severe cases, dengue can be fatal.
Severe symptoms include:
- Severe abdominal pain
- Persistent vomiting
- Rapid breathing
- Bleeding gums or nose
- Fatigue
- Restlessness
- Blood in vomit or stool
- Being very thirsty
- Pale and cold skin
- Feeling weak
Prevention
According to the WHO, you can lower the risk of getting dengue by protecting yourself from mosquito bites by using:
- Clothes that cover as much of your body as possible
- Mosquito nets if sleeping during the day, ideally nets sprayed with insect repellent
- Window screens
- Mosquito repellents (containing DEET, Picaridin or IR3535)
- Coils and vaporisers